Update From Australia: 22 Days After The Quake

After staying in a friend’s place south of Tokyo for 12 days, we have moved once again in our evacuation efforts since the situation isn’t seeming to improve much around our place in Fukushima.

Now, we’re in my home country; Australia, where we’ll stay with my lovely but overly worried Mum for a scheduled 3 weeks. If it will be safe enough to go back home then, only time will tell.

There are still very mixed reports about the situation there… like radiation levels are dropping, but the radiation in the water is increasing off the charts.

Then there are the fears of plutonium that has been detected around the plant. God forbid more plutonium doesn’t leak and the amount already there isn’t enough to reach us or anyone and do harm.

Anyway, I just wanted to keep this update short and say that things are still ‘up in the air’… literally, as are our plans for the near future.

But for the meantime, we’re stationed here in Brisbane Australia for the next little stint.

I really hope this somehow all magically blows over and in 3 weeks from now, everything will be normal again. Maybe wishful thinking but that’s pretty much all we’ve got to rely on; apart from the workers trying to get this under control.

The workers there at the plant are putting their life on the line and the Japanese are smart, and extremely responsible and honorable when it comes to problems like this. It would be dishonorable for anyone to not give it their all to work out a solution as quickly as possible.

As the motto goes, “Pray for Japan”. We all are and I really hope you are too.

Any extra help at this time is extremely valuable… even if it is in the form of a silent prayer.

Thanks for all the support from everyone of my friends/readers/customers so far. It really means a lot to me that you are thinking of us and others in Japan.

We’re still in the middle of this, with a long way to go till we pop out the other side… but it’s just a matter of time.

Wow.. Thanks so much everyone for all of your sincere comments. They give me a lot of hope and encouragement! We and the rest of Japan will bounce back…. I’m sure of it. It’s just very shocking and hard to come to grips that all this has happened.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, and with the people of Japan and anyone else who has been affected by this horrendous disaster. Hopefully, all will go well and things will settle back down again soon. Be safe and take care!

Yes Stu, we are praying for all of Japan, and the rest of the world too! I’ve been employed by a Japanese owned company for the past twenty years. Finally got to visit Japan once a couple years ago; and my feeling was one of sorrow that I wasn’t born in the country, also I had joy that I saw how wonderful ‘kinship’ can be. What a marvelous group of people! If there is anything, anything, needed, please let it be known!

Hi Stewart,
I am very glad to hear that you and your family are safe
and well. When the earthquake struck you were the first
person I thought of, and mentioned to my family, concern
for the safety of you and your family. We have been
praying for you and yours, and also for the remarkable people of Japan.
I am sure the Country will be back on it’s feet in a very
short time. They have certainly taught the world a lesson
in civility, respect, honor, and caring for each other during
difficult times. I still cannot believe there was not even
one case of looting. I have seen that in nearly ever other
disaster around the world.
I must mention the modern day Samurai Warriors working
at the Nuclear Plant, they are real National Heroes.
It is all just amazing.
Our prayers are also for the families of those who were
lost in the Disaster.
I am sure your mother is happy to have you, your wife,
and Chino there in Australia during these trying times.
I hope the Nuclear Plant problems can be safely sorted
out soon; so that you can return to your home in Japan.
Keep us up to date, and continued good luck to you and
your family.
Best Regards,
Stephen “j”

Stu I am glad you and your beautiful family are in Australia, and being with Mom is great in a such tens situation.
I think living in Fukushima will be dangerous for a while, so take one day at a time now, enjoy being with family, relax a little.
The good news for you is that being Internet Marketer, and a good one, you can work from each location on the world.
Regards Michey

So glad to hear you and your family are OK Stu. I didn’t know where in Japan you lived. You were the first person I thought of when I heard about the disaster besides my son-in-law who frequently travels to Japan on business.
Hope it will be safe enough to go back soon but it’s not looking good. Enjoy Australia while you can. Take care.
Sandy

Sensei Stu,
Not much of a blogger, but challenging times often cause one to step out of a partially well defined comfort zone.
You, your family and the kind people of Japan have been in my thoughts and meditations.
After riding out the winds of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and wading through the aftermath (literally), loosing my father in the in the wake of the storm (pun not intended), I have a little insight of what you might be going through.
For whatever it’s worth, if you are surrounded by family, it doesn’t matter where you are located. Home is not where the heart is, home is when you are with those that love you.
David

Hi David, I know what you must have gone through… but sounds like your case was many times worse than ours. Sorry to hear that about your losses. Yes, your words about home are very true. We’re feeling safer and more comfortable here every day. Thanks again, Stuart

Someone made a comment a little while ago that compared those brave workers to the samurai. I think that’s only partly accurate. I honestly think it would be more accurate to compare them to the 300 Spartans. They all know what their own outcomes are going to be but they’re doing it anyway out of a real and genuine love for, not just their fellow Japanese, but the whole of humanity. I genuinely want all of us to look at what these brave people are doing and, in some small way, do something, some small thing, to try to live up to their example.